


Little Drummer Boys

by clgfanfic



Series: Shadow Chasers/X-Files - Little St. Nick [3]
Category: Shadow Chasers, The X-Files
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-03
Updated: 2012-11-03
Packaged: 2017-11-17 15:26:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The two partners cross paths for the first time</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Drummer Boys

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine The Yule Tide #1 under the pen name J.P. Cads

"Nicholas Drive?" Jon read the Scotsdale street sign as Benedek navigated.

"Yep.  The old guy's gotta have a few conceits," Benny countered.  "He's not as young as he used to be."

"I can't believe you're still beating that drum," Jon argued.  "I can't believe you talked Dr. Moorhouse into letting me come along on this-- this wild goose chase."

"She's a believer, Johnny."

"And I'm Rudolph."

"Hey, if he's not resting up, you might just get a chance to meet the red-nosed wonder himself."

"Oh, please, Benedek."

"No, really.  Granted, the deer's a little shy around strangers, but you're no stranger than most."

"Ha!  _You_ should talk!"

"There it is!" Benny said, pointing.

Jon pulled up and parked, his gaze wandering over the large, but otherwise nondescript house at the end of a cul de sac.

"Santa Claus lives here?"

"Yep.  Come on.  I'll prove it to you."

"You'll _try_."

The pair walked up to the front door and paused, finding it slightly ajar.

"I guess he's not worried about burglars," Jon said sarcastically.

"Come on," Benny whispered, motioning for Jon to follow him.

"Where are we going?" the anthropologist asked, trailing after his skulking friend.

"We're gonna go see who's trying to rip off Saint Nick.  This'll make a _great_ story…"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Dawn was just breaking over the jagged Arizona hills when agent Mulder pulled to the curb and parked half a block from the house he suspected Santa was holed-up in.  Climbing out, he waited for a moment for his partner to follow.

Scully shook her head, reminded herself that Mulder was overworked, underpaid, and weird, then climbed out of the car, slammed the door shut and trailed after the man.

Reaching the door, she was only slightly surprised when Mulder removed a small lock-pick set.  It was the same one she'd received from her field supervisor her first Christmas as an FBI agent.  A few deft moves and the front door of the large, plain-looking house squeaked open.

"Mulder, we _don't_ have a warrant."

"We don't need one, this is all part of an unsolved case."

With a heavy sigh, she followed Mulder into the dark house.  The first thing that struck her was the sense of heaviness in the house.  It didn't feel bad, or oppressive, just… thick, she decided.

The living room was decorated in simplistic southwestern furniture and patterns.  They moved down one hall and into a kitchen, also southwest in design.  Backtracking, they took the second hallway.

Reaching the first room, Mulder carefully opened the door, then breathed, "I _knew_ it!"

"What?"

"Take a look," Mulder said, stepping back so she could get a better look into the room.

It was stacked full of Christmas presents, from floor to ceiling.  "This doesn't prove anything, Mulder.  Maybe he has a lot of children and grandchildren.  Excessive, maybe, but—"

"I'm telling you, Scully, it's _Santa Claus_."

They moved to the next room.  It was empty.  Completely bare.

"According to the x-file, he and Mrs. Claus never had children.  I think he might be sterile."

Scully's eyes dropped closed and she shook her head.  Mulder needed a vacation.  "Maybe Mrs. Kringle had the children."

A third room.  Full.

"No, that's just another pseudonym the Claus's used for a while when they were living in Holland."

"Mulder—"

"How else do you explain this?" he interrupted.

Scully walked to the next room and looked in.  It was as full as the last one.  At least that explained the heavy feeling she'd noticed.  It was simply a result of the density of the packages, creating what amounted to a sound-proofing of the house.  "I can't.  Maybe he takes them to local orphanages."

"He takes them all over the world."

"There aren't _that_ many packages."

"Wanna bet?"

"Mulder—"

"Shhhh," he interrupted, placing his finger against his lips.  "You hear that?"

Scully nodded.  Two male voices, at the front door.  The bulk of the packages absorbed their words before they could reach the two agents.  "Elves?"

"Maybe," Mulder replied seriously.  "Sounds like they're heading for the back. Let's go."

"Ho ho ho," she muttered, following.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Reaching the seven-foot fence at the back of the house, Benny used the water spicket to reach the top of the adobe bricks, then pulled himself over.

"Come on, Jack," he called.

Muttering under his breath, Jon followed his companion's example, managing to drag himself over the top of the wall and dropping down on the other side.

"Would you look at this place?  Old Santa's been workin' hard in the off-season."

Jon's eyes widened at the slight of the small red barn and storage shed that took up a good portion of the backyard.  A small corral took up the rest.  A weight-set sat just outside the back door.

"He has horses?"

"Reindeer, Jack-o, reindeer.  Come on, let's go see if Ruddy's up to chatting."

"He talks?"

"If you know how to listen."

"What am I saying?" Jon admonished himself as he jogged to join up with Benny as he entered the barn.

"I guess they're working tonight," Benny said, disappointment clear in his voice.

"It's not Christmas Eve," Jon countered.

"It is now.  It's after midnight, Johnny."  Benny motioned for Jon to look at the small brass plaque that was nailed onto the door of a small stall.  "See, Ruddy's pad."

The brass was engraved – Rudolph.  Jon walked past each of the stalls, reading aloud, "Dasher, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Prancer…"  He stopped one stall shy of the end.  "All right, the joke's over.  It's all very convincing, but—"

"No joke, John-boy.  I told you.  Santa Claus lives here."

"Oh, come on, Benedek."

"You are really a skeptic, aren't you?  I'll bet you even sympathized with Scrooge."

"Well, actually—"

"Never mind!  Come on.  Let's see if the sled's out.  Maybe he's out exercising the deer.  You know, getting them warmed up for the big night."

Jon shook his head, but followed Benny to the shed and waited for him to open the door.  Inside a large tarp covered something.

"Yep, the sled's gone.  He's out putting the deer through their paces."

"What's that?" Jon asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Benny stepped into the shed and lifted the tarp, then grinned at Jon, and tossed it back.  An old red sleigh sat, its skies and jingle bells slightly rusty.

Jon stared at the sleigh.  "No…  I mean, it's impossible…  There's no such thing as Santa Claus."

"Exactly what I've been saying," Scully replied.

Jon jumped and turned.

"Benny?"

"Mulder?"

"Yeah."

Benny laughed and stepped outside to join Jon.  He grinned at Scully, and shook Mulder's hand.  "Looks like you missed him again."

"He does this on purpose," Mulder complained.

"Ah," Jon interrupted, extending his hand to Scully.  "I'm Dr. Jonathan MacKenzie."

"Professor of anthropology at Georgetown," Benny added.

"I met your father," Scully said.  "Dana Scully, FBI.  This is my partner, Fox Mulder."

"Mr. Mulder," Jon said, shaking the agent's hand.  "And I see you know my rather eccentric friend."

"Edgar Benedek," the journalist supplied, shaking Scully's hand.  "But everybody calls me Benny."

Scully, smiled noncommittally.

"So, the FBI's after the Ho-man, huh?"

"Agent Mulder is after Santa," Scully corrected.

"Yeah, I know.  I see him every year or so while he's chasin' the fatman."

"Why won't he talk to me?"

Benny shrugged.  "You'll just have to ask him when you finally meet him."

"Why does he talk to you?"

"The only people who talk to Benedek are those who belong in rubber rooms," Jon told him.  "Look, it's getting cold out here, why don't we go inside?"

"Sounds good to me.  The Nickster's usually got some pretty good cookies in the kitchen.  The Missus likes to cook."  Benny leaned closer to Scully.  "That's why he's so plump, you know."

"I'm sure," was her patient reply.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Scully had to admit Benny had been right.  There were some pretty great cookies in the kitchen.  And now, seated in front of the snapping fireplace, sipping cinnamon tea and eating cookies, it was a little easier to imagine Santa Claus living in the house.  Mulder had shown Jon the rooms filled with presents, six in all between the up and downstairs.  And the empty room.

That done, Benny and Mulder compared notes, while she and Jon exchanged some fascinating conversation on forensic anthropology.  Dr. MacKenzie even asked her to lunch.  She was about to say yes, when there was a noisy clatter on the roof.

"He's back!" Mulder said, springing to his feet.

Scully looked up.  There was definitely _something_ on the roof – a bunch of kids from the sounds of it.

"Give it up, Fox," Benny said, grinning.  "You know he's not going to talk."

Mulder bolted for the stairs, Jon on his heels.  Benedek smiled at Scully.  "So, Dana, seen anything interesting workin' with Spooky recently?"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"I know you're here!" Mulder called, checking the rooms.  Nothing.

"Must be kids," Jon said, wondering why Benny hadn't come along.  The reason screamed into his mind.  "Huh, I think I better get back downstairs—"

"Scully!"

"I'm here, Mulder," she called up from the bottom of the stairs.

"Anyone down there?"

"No."

"He's in here, Scully, I can feel it.  Check the rooms."

She sighed.  "Okay, but I can't hear anything anymore."

"Just check the rooms.  We're close, Scully.  Really close."

Benny accompanied her as she checked the rooms again.  Full, full, empty…

"Wait.  This room was _empty_ ," she said staring at the now full room.  She stepped to the last and opened the door.  Empty.  "And this one was _full_."

"They fill up automatically," Benny explained.  "Some kind of Elf magic."

"Elf magic?"

Benny nodded.  "Has Spooky told you about the three girls in Ireland who disappeared for three years?  They were abducted by Elves and—"

"No, I'm afraid he hasn't told me about that one – yet."

"Did you see him?"

Scully turned, finding her partner and Jon.  "Huh, no."

Mulder noticed her glance into the empty room.  He looked.  "This one was full."

"And that one was empty," she said, pointing.

"It's full," Mulder said.  "How does he do it?"

"Elf magic," Scully supplied.

"I know, but I haven't been able to track down one of the Elves, either."

"Well, Kris is out on another run," Benny said.  "Guess we'll have to try dropping by next year."

"Next—?  No.  Benedek, there is no such thing as Santa Claus."

"Yes, there is, and one of these days I'm going to find that fatman."

Benny laughed.  "Good luck."

"Thanks."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Driving back to the airport, Scully watched her despondent partner.  "Mulder, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm getting used to it."

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you so interested in finding Santa Claus?"

Mulder glanced at his partner.  She appeared sincere.

"I think he's an alien."

"I see…"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"So, did you get a date?"

Jon blushed.  "It's not a date.  We're meeting for lunch so we can continue our conversation on forensic anthropology."

"Huh-uh."

"Really."

"You know, you should ask the Claus-master to make it a date.  She's a pretty lady."

"You aren't going to start that again, are you?"

"What?  What more do you want?"

"I want to see him.  Better yet, I want to see reindeer fly!"

"I can't—"

The sound of jingle bells grew loud, and Jon braked, slowing to a crawl.  He stared out past the car windshield, his jaw dropping.  In the sky was a bright red sleigh, piloted by the man in red, and pulled by eight tiny reindeer, and Rudolph… his nose glowing bright red.

"Merry Christmas, Jonathan," the old man called.  "And a Happy New Year, Benny!"

"To you, too, Big Guy!" Benny yelled out the passenger window.

"I'll send you a change of address," Santa promised before he sailed out of sight.

"See," Benny said, "I told you so."

Jon stared into the star-bright sky.  "Santa Claus?"

"Of course.  Now, come on, let's get back to DC and see what he left for us."

Jon looked at his friend.  Only Benny…  Only Edgar Benedek could get a promise of a change of address from Santa Claus.


End file.
